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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29575734">Heartbreak Stains Us All</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlackWolfRunner1/pseuds/BlackWolfRunner1'>BlackWolfRunner1</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Heartbreak Stains Us All [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>How to Train Your Dragon (Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Ballroom Dancing, Dancing and Singing, Dark Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, Depression, Drama &amp; Romance, F/M, Heartbreak, Heavy Angst, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III Needs a Hug, Hurt Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 23:21:01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,071</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29575734</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlackWolfRunner1/pseuds/BlackWolfRunner1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Homecoming was supposed to be a special night, a night where truths are revealed, feelings are confessed, an out with the old and in with the new. Yet a few disagrees with such statement, such bold claims that were proven neither to be true or wrong.</p><p>Hayden Harrison Haddock was one of those few people, for on this last night of his Senior Year, a smile was amiss on his face, a light that had once dripped from his entire being now reduced to a small flickering light. With a slight sad smile on his face, he gripped the mic in his hand and sang out to his heart's content.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Eret/Astrid Hofferson, Heather/Fishlegs Ingerman, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III/Astrid Hofferson, Snotlout Jorgenson/Ruffnut Thorston</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Heartbreak Stains Us All [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2172813</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Heartbreak Stains Us All</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Title:</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Heartbreak Stains Us All</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Chapter I:</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>The Truth</strong>
</p><hr/><p>
  <em> <strong>Summary: Homecoming was supposed to be a special night, a night where truths are revealed, feelings are confessed, an out with the old and in with the new. Yet a few disagrees with such statement, such bold claims that were proven neither to be true or wrong.</strong> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <strong>Hayden Harrison Haddock was one of those few people, for on this last night of his Senior Year, a smile was amiss on his face, a light that had once dripped from his entire being now reduced to a small flickering light. With a slight sad smile on his face, he gripped the mic in his hand and sang out to his heart's content.</strong> </em>
</p><hr/><p>Leaning his body towards the balcony, he glanced down to the courtyard of Berkian High School, watching the sea of humanity that he had earlier been a part of. The wind was strong tonight, many of the male students proving that chivalry was still alive and taking off their jackets and wrapping it around their dates. He wished he could've done the same.</p><p>Hayden snorted, shaking his head to himself and briefly reminding him of the exact same reason why he was up on the balcony of the school when he should be down with the rest of his fellow students and mingling around. The reason was simple, and it shouldn't have affected him by this much, his heart still bleeding pathetically for the one woman who he loved, and still love to this very day.</p><hr/><p>
  <em>{Flashback}</em>
</p><hr/><p>
  <em>Avery Astrid Hofferson, Berkian High School's greatest female athlete, Master Martial Artist of the Glima, rich and the most popular girl in school. She was regarded highly, the people of Berk often times <strike>mentioning</strike> showering her name in praises, believing that she, alongside a few other students from other high schools, would bring their small town onto the map of the world.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>So, you might find yourself asking, if she was so great, why was she still in high school? The reason was simple. It was because of one Hayden Harrison Haddock the Third. A mouthful of a name, isn't it? Name aside however, while Avery shined in sports, Hayden matched her popularity by being the most smartest kid in high school. An immovable block, the people called him, for no one has ever came close to matching his level of IQ.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Straight A student, the model of respect and politeness, his lean frame paling in comparison to his sharp mind. His wits and sarcastic mouth often got him into trouble, but no bullies dared to confront him due to the protection of both the teachers and his childhood friend. Who was this friend you might wonder? Well, it was none other than Avery Astrid Hofferson.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Assigned to have been her personal tutor, for the ensurety of his safety both in and out of school. But neither side minded it, happy to stick to their end of the deal and hold up the bargain. Like two sides of the same coin, Hayden was the stability to Avery's anger, while she was the anchor of reality for his idealisms. Any and all accidents that had ever happened to them was forgiven, their bond only mending and getting more stronger.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>So, why aren't they getting it on, might the people ask. The most simplest reasoning they had used was they weren't interested in each other that way. Or was that the truth? Hayden wondered to himself as he walked alongside his childhood friend, eyeing her curiously when she wasn't looking.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>'<strong>No.'</strong> It was not the truth. Unbeknownst to his best friend, Hayden had always felt a love like no other for anybody but her. He wondered every single day of when his love for her started. Did it began when she first got hit by puberty? Did it began when she first got her break up and he comforted her? Or, was it because of the third reason which was when he first laid his eyes on her, at the mere age of five years old?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Questions drilled into his head, answers never received for he never asked them, fearing it would destroy their years of friendship. His heart clenched at the thought, his face expressing his anguish as he and Avery both opened their lockers, which was right next to each other due to their agreement and the influence of both his and her fathers over the school.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Avery noticed his look of agony immediately, closing her locker door after putting away her belongings within it and glancing towards her best friend concernedly. She laid her palm on his shoulder, catching his attention as the antagonised look on his face went away.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Hayden, what's wrong?" Avery asked concernedly. Gods, how he wanted to confess right then and there, to cross the line of their friendship and hand her his heart that has always skipped a beat whenever he looked at her, to ask her to become his date at homecoming/prom. But in the end, fear and hesitation held him back, and he found himself saying,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Nothing." </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Astrid eyed him distrustfully, sensing the lie instantly, and frowning disapprovingly. Putting her hands on her hips, she was just about to comment on his lie when the bell suddenly rang, alerting them of their next class. She closed her eyes, sighing heavily, opening them only to see Hayden gone, catching his messy auburn hair just as he turned the corner.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Hayden sighed in relief as he entered the workshop, a class his Godfather/Father Figure taught. He loved this class the most, for not only was it the class he had never failed, but it was also a safe haven for the auburn haired male. Soon, more and more students begun filling in, taking their usual seats with Mr. Belcherson hobbling behind them.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>However, his eyes couldn't focus on the class, for a small sickening feeling was starting to form in his stomach. He keeled over, catching the attention of his Godfather and fellow students, briefly halting the class.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Hayden, are you alright, lad?" Mr. Belcherson asked worriedly, motioning for the two students he knew his Godson was on good terms with to carry him. The two men reacted quickly, leaving their seats and each taking both of his arms and throwing it over their shoulders.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I-I fe-feel fain-nt." Hayden slurred, his Godfather taking a step towards him and feeling his forehead, which was burning up.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"You two, take him to the Nurse's Office and tell her that I sent you two, she will know what to do." Mr. Belcherson ordered. The two men saluted him, wordlessly pulling Hayden without much of a fuss. Along the way, one of the men, a dark chocolate skinned male with brown hair and brown eyes shook him slightly, earning Hayden's attention.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Stay with us, Hayden. Talk to us, what happened back there?" The man asked, fussing over him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I-I don't kn-know, my bod-y just-, I fe-felt sick an-and just-" He was cut off by the other male beside him, a white skinned male with black hair and acid green eyes.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Reacted to it?" He finished for the faint man calmly. Hayden nodded, proving his statement correct.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I think I know what happened to you..." The black haired man muttered quietly, breaking the silence between them after a few moments.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"What do you mean, Treyden?" The dark chocolate skinned man asked wonderingly.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"It once happened to me too. A bad feeling that started from nowhere and the reaction to it was immediate." The black haired man, Treyden, exclaimed, suddenly pulling them in another direction.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Trey, what are you doing? The Nurse's Office is that way!?" The brown haired man hissed.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I know what I'm doing, Garry. Just go along with it, please?" Treyden pleaded softly. The brown haired male, Garry, nodded reluctantly, allowing for Treyden to lead them to wherever he felt like going. After a few more turns in the hallway, they came towards the gym.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"The Gymnasium?" Garry asked bewilderedly, sparing a glance towards Treyden who remained stone faced. Without another noise or sound, Treyden quietly opened the door and took his two friends inside, leading them to the bleachers where there was another door on the side, all the while sticking to the shadows to remain hidden. He pick-lock the door opened and forced the two of them inside, locking the door behind him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Alright, that's it. Trey, what the hell are you trying to do?!" Garry whispered loudly, barely controlling his rage as he laid Hayden on a nearby chair, whirling around to face his friend. Treyden remained silent, opting to turn on his phone, and showing him a conversation that he had with his fianceé, Luna.</em>
</p><hr/><p>
  <em>{My Light has logged on}</em>
</p><p>
  <em>{Treyden's Personal Chat to Luna}</em>
</p><hr/><p>
  <strong><em>My Light: Night, where are you right now?</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong><em>My Night: I'm at The Workshop right now. Is there something wrong?</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong><em>My Light: Trey, baby, can you do me a favour and get Hayden here right now?</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong><em>My Night: Hey, calm down! Where is 'here' and why does it have to do with Hayden?</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong><em>My Light: Meet me at the Gymnasium, there is something Hayden needs to hear. Can you do this?</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong><em>My Night: I'm on my way. Give me a few minutes or so.</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong><em>My Light: Got it. Love you, boo.</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong><em>My Night: I love you too, honey.</em> </strong>
</p><hr/><p>
  <em>{My Light has logged off}</em>
</p><hr/><p>
  <em>"So, not even you know why we are here." Garry said quietly, taking a seat beside Hayden and noting how he was slowly starting to get up.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Wh-where are we?" Hayden spoke hoarsely, accepting the water bottle Treyden gave him from God's know where and taking a large gulp of said water while the man took a seat beside him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Easy there, Hayden. We're in the Gymnasium right now. Luna told me to get you here as quickly as I can, and I did just that." Treyden informed him, accepting back the bottle and taking a large gulp of it himself.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Did you use something to knock me out?" Hayden said slowly, shaking and nodding his head to get the blood flowing. Treyden merely snorted, shaking his head in denial.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"No. It was by mere chance that you had a sudden black out, and I was able to get to you here in what I hope is a good timing." Treyden stated softly, watching the plain confusion on his friend's face.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"What do you mean by 'good timing'?" Garry whispered, a hint of accusation that did not bypass Treyden's sensitive ears. He glared at the brown haired man, his form tense and blood rushing to his face.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Don't you dare accuse me of anything, Garry. You saw the messages Luna sent me. At recess, she told me she heard something that was intriguing and was going to try and find out more information about it. When I asked her what was it that she found interesting, the bell rung and she told me she would tell me about it later. That is all." Treyden gritted out.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Hayden laid his hands on either of their shoulder's gently, pushing them back and motioning for them to sit down. He put a finger to his mouth, pointing upwards where multiple female voices can be heard talking. The trio stilled themselves, absolute silence pertaining the air around them.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Man, Coach really pushed us today." The female voice groaned, a voice in which the three of them immediately identified as Roxanne 'Ruffnut' Thorston.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Yeah, no kidding. He's probably mad about something and just taking it out on us. Fuck him, man." Another unidentified female voice stated.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I hope you don't mean the 'fuck him' seriously." Another girl teased. Immediately, Hayden made a couple signs language, alerting the other two that it was indeed Hayden's childhood friend.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Hell, no. Look, I'll give him some credit, he is hot. But he is not my type." The female voice said again.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Speaking of hots and types, Avery, when are you going to tell Hayden about the you-know-what?" Roxanne said teasingly. A cold silence succumb them, both the boys and the girls having gone deathly silent. The bad feeling came back to Hayden's gut, the feeling now more intense than before when he was in the Workshop.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I don't know what you're talking about." Avery's voice came out cold, sending a chill through Hayden's spine at the tone of her voice in which he has never heard from.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"So that is how you want to go about this, huh? You do know what I'm talking about, Astrid. You know my rules and my morals, don't ever tie a leash on something you're not going to keep." Roxanne stated seriously, the atmosphere around them choking the three men who weren't even apart of the conversation.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"If you are insinuating that I'm leading him on, I'm not. I would never, ever, do that to my best friend." Avery stated sharply.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Then tell him the truth. He's been crushing on you for the longest time, Astrid. You know it, I know it, Heather knows it, hell, practically the whole school knows of it. This game you're playing with his heart, enough is enough, Hofferson. You know where your heart lies, Astrid. The whole school knows of your not-so-secretive status except him. The worst part, it's that it <strong>is</strong> only him." Roxanne rallied herself, Avery trying desperately to try and regain some form of control over their conversation.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I know that alright! I'm trying to find a way to tell him while still keeping our friendship alive. Cannot you see what I'm trying to do?" Avery stated desperately, Roxanne's expression remaining cold and unforgiving.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"That's just it, Astrid. For years you have been telling us that you're trying. Key word is <strong>trying</strong>. I think what you need is a wake up call. Poor dude is trying to find the courage to ask for your hand at homecoming. But little does he know, his best friend has been having the greatest time of her life for the past 5 years. Five years she has been lying to him to his face, and Hayden? Like the gullible and faithful friend that he is, he believes you." Roxanne railed her, forcing Avery to silence herself.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"You are not what he believes you to be. You've downgraded yourself just so you can keep him around. You're not the same gal I befriended at Fifth Grade, Astrid. You have been turning for the worst. For years I have watched him struggle, and I'm sick of it, and I will be putting an end to this farce. Either you tell him the truth, or I will. And trust me when I say that if I were to be the one to tell him, you can kiss his backside goodbye." Roxanne stated brutally, heavy stomps signalling her having walked away.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Hayden stayed silent the entire time, his hands wrapped around his stomach in an attempt to calm the fierce flips that his stomach was currently doing. His heart was beating so slowly, betrayal bleeding throughout every veins in his body, yet his mind was only focused on the one question that was clouding with confusion.</em>
</p><p><strong><em>'The truth?'</em></strong> <em>He wondered quietly, aware of the two sympathetic eyes that was watching him. He didn't need their empathy, he needed answers, answers in which he was adamant to hear from only his best friend's mouth. Regaining control over his emotions, he faced his two friends blankly, slowly standing up from his seat and making a move to walk away. </em><em>He was stopped short however, when the voices that had gone silent spoke again once more.</em></p><p>
  <em>"Avery, not to show you that I'm mad at you, cause I'm not. But what Roxanne says is true, you know. It's time to confront him, to reveal the one secret you have kept from him for far too long. Because I agree with Roxy, it's better that he knows the truth now, rather than later when he confesses to you. Let his heart break now, before you become the knife that will end the beat of his heart." With her wisdom imparted, she walked away from the bleachers, the cracks of the seat allowing the three men to see that the girl was none other than, Heather Berserk, David's younger sister.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>But her identity mattered no more, for as soon as the three men were about to leave, the school bell rang, signalling the end of the school. Just like before, Treyden unlocked the door, and sticking to the dark shadows of the Gymnasium, the three left without their presence ever being detected.</em>
</p><hr/><p>
  <em>Departing from his friends was easy, but the hard part was the now, for Hayden was to meet with his best friend in the Parking Lot. It was no secret to the students and the teachers that Hayden was Avery's driver, the two living within the same neighbourhood, practically neighbours with how many times they met up. And as if she was hearing his thoughts, Avery came out of the School Parking Lot's doors and made a beeline for his car, her sky blue eyes lighting up with a fake cheer.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Without a word, Hayden merely lifted his arms and allowed his childhood friend to crash into him, hugging her form close. He breathed her scent in for what could possibly be for the last time, hugging her a bit tighter for a moment before releasing her and taking her bags. Throwing hers and his bags in the trunk, the two got in and left the school ground.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>However, unlike the times before when he drove, with talks and complains of how their day went, there were no words traded in between the two childhood friends. Normally, Hayden would drive them to Starbucks, where a cute redheaded waitress would flirt with him, hand him their drinks, and he would drive her home. But today was different, for today, he would get his answers, and if the cost would be his broken heart and the end of their friendship, so be it.</em>
</p><hr/><p>
  <em>{Raven's Point}</em>
</p><hr/><p>
  <em>"Hayden, why are we here?" Avery asked confusedly, watching as her best friend took off his seatbelt and stepped out of the car, shutting the engine car down and taking the keys with him. He never answered her, closing the door and standing on the edge of the cliff of Raven's Point.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Curious and fuming slightly at his cold shoulder, she too stepped out of the car and walked towards him, Hayden's back facing her as he continued to stare down at the Cove of Raven's Point. The two stood there for a while, Avery not knowing what to say while Hayden tried to gather the courage to try and say something.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Avery-"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Hayden-"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The two stopped, eyes simultaneously meeting and blinking dumbly at one another. Avery motioned towards him, a gesture Hayden both appreciated and cursed as it meant that the floor was his. He turned around again, facing the Cove underneath him, feeling a bit confident at not facing her.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Avery, do you know what this place is?" He spoke, his voice hoarse from the sudden dryness of his throat. Behind him, Avery cocked a brow, observing his body language with scrutiny.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Yes, yes I do." Astrid answered quietly.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"What is this place then, Avery? What significance does this place mean to us?" Hayden prodded.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"This is the place where you took me for my tenth birthday. On our bikes, we rode here just so we could see the meteor shower." Astrid recalled.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"And?" Hayden urged her.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"And it was also the place where we made the promise to always be there for each other, to have each other's backs, to support any and all decisions that we made, to confess that if we were to ever have a problem with each other, we would say it and not keep it in. To always...be...honest with one another." Avery's eyes widened, realisation hitting her like a truck. It was also that time that Hayden finally turned around to look at her, tears pooling in his forest green eyes.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"For years, I thought that was what we agreed to uphold together. For years, I had always thought you were honest to me. But is that the truth? Is that really the truth, Avery?" Hayden pleaded, his tears yet to be shed. Her heart hammered quickly, her throat drying up and her body automatically backing up a step when Hayden took a step towards her.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"For years, I prided myself in upholding our vows. For years, never had I believed in anyone's words when they said anything regarding about you. For years, I have done everything that I thought was right for the both of us, any decisions I made had never excluded you. You, who knows more about me than even my own parents. You, who I gave my time, energy, attention and tenderness to. You, who I confess all my secrets too." Hayden started slowly.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"But was it ever reciprocated? Was I rewarded for what I did for you? Was everything I gave to you, ever given back to me? I think the time has come for me to stop being so ignorant, so naïve, so stupid when it comes to you, Avery. I think it's time I begin listening, thinking and observing you. Never had I ever doubted you or our friendship, never had and probably never would've had I not heard what I heard about an hour ago." He revealed, watching as Avery's expression slowly but surely becoming horror stricken.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"The time has come, Avery. It's time to be honest with me, since apparently you haven't been doing so for the past five years, if what Roxanne said is true. What is it that you have been hiding from me? What is this truth that everyone but me seems to know of? What is the truth, Avery?" He stopped short, blinking back the tears that threatened to fall out.</em>
</p><p><strong> <em>"The real truth?"</em> </strong> <em> Hayden asked firmly, a tone he had never dared to use against his childhood friend, using it to show her how serious he was about this. Wrapping her arms around herself, Avery looked towards the ground, ashamed to meet her best friend's eyes.</em></p><p>
  <em>"I never meant for you to find out like this, Hayden. Please, don't be mad at me. Please?" Avery pleaded, her tone quivering with sadness, shame and fear. Sadness for her and her childhood friend's friendship, shame for herself, and fear of his rejection. So lost in her thoughts and emotions, she never saw the man that she was thinking about approaching her and lifting her chin so her face could meet his.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"It all depends on you, Avery. Are you going to tell me the truth or are you going to lie to me?" Hayden asked softly, holding her chin up. Tension sparked around them like wildfire, spreading and encasing them in a circle neither side could get out of. Familiar forest green met sky blue, the reality of the two phenomenon so vastly different, never could be considered the same, just like the two of them.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I-I-." Avery stuttered, unable to speak the truth. Instead, she pulled her face from his hand pulled out a bright blue necklace, the silver chain reflecting the light of the sun. But what caught his attention the most was the heart shaped metal that the chain held. His heart beat thundered profusely, threatening to give him a heart attack as he opened the heart.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>His heart shattered to pieces, his mind shutting down and his soul left his body. Numbly, he staggered backwards, nearly stumbling down to the ground in his wake. Astrid responded immediately, trying to make a grab for him which he dodged, stepping closer to the edge of the cliff, forcing her to freeze in fear. Tears poured down his face, the sudden rumble of an upcoming storm clear to them both.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>In that heart, was none other than a picture of her and Eret, son of Eret. To the other side of the heart, held the signatures of AH + ESOE in large letters. Brokenly, he faintly heard Avery calling for him, pleading for him to step away from the edge. His only response was to step closer to said edge, his eyes hollowed and mix with a tint of death.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Leave me, Avery. Leave me alone." Hayden said brokenly, his body moving on an autopilot and making a grab for his car keys, throwing the latter towards her.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"W-what?" She stuttered, the need to get close to him and get him off the edge of the cliff far too strong for her to register his words, barely catching his car keys.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I said, leave me alone. Can't you see that you've done enough? Just leave me the fuck alone." Hayden said harshly. Astrid narrowed her eyes and stood her ground, ignoring the few tear drops dripping down her face as she took a step closer to him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"No. No, Hayden. I'm not leaving you alone. Not in this kind of state. Please, just get off the cliff, and we can talk about this." Astrid said tearfully.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Talk about this? TALK ABOUT THIS? <strong>TALK ABOUT THIS?! </strong>THERE IS NOTHING TO TALK ABOUT, HOFFERSON! FOR YEARS, I TRUSTED YOU! TRUSTED YOU TO BE HONEST WITH ME! TRUSTED YOU TO TELL ME THAT IF THERE WAS EVER ANYTHING WRONG, YOU WOULD SAY IT! BUT WHAT DID YOU DO, ASTRID? YOU LIED! YOU'RE A LIAR, HOFFERSON! A GODDAMN LIAR!" Hayden screamed out, waving his arms wildly and taking another step towards the edge, the earth beneath him cracking slightly.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Avery took a step back, physically recoiling as if Hayden had slapped her, her form shaking and her tears finally coming down her eyes. She shook her head in denial, trying to block the ache in her heart that she knew she deserved. Optimistic she had tried to be, yet life disappointed her once more, reality finally crashing down on her fault. She knew, without a shadow of a doubt, she had lost his trust and love, and her entire being mourned for that loss.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"What went wrong, Avery? What did I do to cause such hesitation? Is it even my fault at this point? Please, I beg you, Astrid, tell me. Tell me the truth and spare me no mercy, when I ask, why didn't you tell me?" Hayden whispered brokenly, his form finally sagging and shaking with uncontrollable despair.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Wrapping her arms around herself, she kicked the ground childishly, her eyes unable to look into his as she tried to regain whatever courage and dignity she had left. Well, if she had any that is, Avery thought to herself morbidly. As a tense silence surrounded them, the storm rumbled above them, a signal that the rain was about to fall soon. And that was the only sign she needed, taking a deep breath and meeting his eyes for the last time.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I-I di-didn't tell you because I w-was afraid th-that you would react li-like this. I thought, that if I hid this fr-from you, you would never have to be like this. How selfish I am, thinking only about what I wanted. Never taking consideration of what it would do to you, or the affects of what you would feel. How foolish I have been, non?" Avery chuckled pathetically, unable to hold his gaze any longer, shame coursing through her veins as she hung her head.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>And that was when the storm rumbled again, heavy raindrops pouring down from the sky as if the Earth itself mourned for their broken friendship. And who could she blame? Nobody but herself. Finally, in the long run, after all of the lies, deceit, and manipulation, have all of her problems caught on.</em>
</p><p><strong> <em>'And there is no one to blame but yourself.'</em> </strong> <em> A small vindictive voice spoke in her mind. Suddenly, she felt something wrapping around her, the texture, warmness and scent emanating from it alerting her of a jacket, Hayden's jacket to be precise. She looked up in surprise, suddenly aware of just how quick Hayden had moved and how close they were right now.</em></p><p>
  <em>Hayden laid his forehead onto her's, dark forest green eyes staring directly into her teary blue eyes. He said nothing, merely taking a few shallow breaths, the two of them sharing each other's air for a moment before he leaned in and kissed her lips. And the kiss sent them both skyrocketing, the flames that he held for erupting as their lips met in a gentle but passionate kiss. Avery allowed it, far too shock and caught up in the moment.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>But that kiss was all what Hayden needed, pouring all of his love, adoration and passion he held for her. For years, this was all he had ever wanted, all he had ever dreamed of, a moment of when their lips would meet collide and they shared their first ever kiss with one another.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>But a dream it was, and a dream was all it would ever be.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Slowly, he broke the kiss, leaving Avery whimpering and trying to catch his lips with her's to reignite the flames that were fanning down far too quickly. He stopped her, laying a hand on her shoulder and pushing her away gently, her back meeting the front of his car. The two breathed deeply, their faces flushed and lips plumped, both looking at each other with need.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Once more, he laid his forehead onto her's, a habit he had always done ever since she allowed him to do so. But as he laid his head on her's, he felt the cold chain on his palm, reprimanding him of the fact that she was not his, nor would she ever be as long as she wore this specific necklace. Reluctantly, he removed his head from her's and placed one last kiss on her forehead.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Staring into her sky blue eyes, he whispered his last words to her.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I forgive you for this, Avery Astrid Hofferson. But I'll never forget."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>With that, he turned to the right and left his <strike>best</strike> friend to stand there in the pouring rain, never seeing the tears that dribbled down her eyes that he would've probably chalked up to being the rain.</em>
</p><hr/><p>
  <em>{To be continued...}</em>
</p><hr/><p> </p>
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